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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 3, 2015)
Wednesday, June 3, 2015 OFF PAGE ONE VIOLENCE: ZRPHQ COLLEGE: 3HQGOHWRQUHSRUWHGSHUFHQW were killed by their husbands or enrollment in post-secondary education in 2013 Page 8A East Oregonian boyfriends between 2001 and 2012 colleagues on both sides of the aisle. “Domestic violence is not and church one day. As director of Voices should not be a partisan issue — we Set Free, Bauschard advocates for should all be combating it at every battered women and counsels some of opportunity,” Hansell said. “It’s a them in prison after they are locked up social evil. We’ve got to do battle.” for killing their abusers. The presen- 6RIDUWZRRIWKHELOOV6%DQG tation opened Clark’s eyes to the 6%ORRNDOPRVWFHUWDLQWREHFRPH Catch-22 for some domestic violence ODZ7KHRWKHU6%QHYHUPDGHLW victims. out of committee. The bill would have “If she doesn’t defend herself, she made strangulation a felony, allowed dies,” Clark said. “If she does, she people in imminent danger the ability goes to prison.” to respond with physical force against Clark is clearly a busy guy. The DEXVHUVDQGUHTXLUHGRI¿FHUVWRPDNH retired State Veterinarian of Oregon lethality assessments after arresting UHJXODUO\ ÀLHV RII WR (DVW $IULFD WR someone for domestic assault. help coordinate livestock disease Hansell said one objection was control programs, but he found time cost. Also, another bill had some to support legislation designed to of the same components. House discourage domestic abuse. %LOO LQFUHDVHV WKH SHQDOW\ IRU Clark invited Hansell to a meeting strangulation from a misdemeanor to last fall with Bauschard, Lisa Swart a felony, punishable by maximum of (who spent 12 years in prison after ¿YH\HDUVLQSULVRQEXWRQO\ZKHQWKH killing her husband in 2000 while victim is pregnant. camping in Wallowa County) and Clark is frustrated that the bill local supporters. Hansell listened, wouldn’t protect all women since rapt, as the pair described the life of an non-fatal strangulation is the best abused woman and why leaving is so predictor of future homicide, GLI¿FXOW+HOHDUQHGWKDWSHUFHQWRI according to the National Family domestic violence homicides happen Justice Center Alliance. Death can after the woman leaves her abusive come in as little as 20 seconds. PDWH DQG WKDW ZRPHQ ZHUH Lisa Swart, who says she expe- killed by their husbands or boyfriends rienced the horror of strangulation between 2001 and 2012 — more numerous times, believes abusers get than U.S. casualties in Afghanistan, only a slap on the wrist for what she Iraq and bombings on the World calls an act of terrorism. Trade Center combined. According “Would you tell any other segment to Center for Disease Control, Oregon of the population it’s not a felony to has the second worst record in the attempt to kill you?” Swart asked. nation after Alaska. Hansell said he will concentrate, The women focused on stran- for now, on ground gained. He is gulation, which is the most serious excited about a potential task force predictor of future homicides. In of police chiefs, district attorneys and Oregon, strangulation is a misde- others that will help create a future meanor, while it’s a felony in the bill. majority of other states. “We have half a loaf. We got After some research, Hansell a portion of what we wanted,” he agreed to sponsor the Domestic VDLG³,¶PIXOO\FRQ¿GHQWZHZLOOJHW Violence Shield Law backed by there.” Clark, Bauschard and Swart. ——— “I’ve never been in a situation Contact Kathy Aney at kaney@ where I’ve actually observed domestic eastoregonian.com or call 541-966- violence,” Hansell said, “but I know 0810. Continued from 1A In other parts of the state rural students don’t necessarily have emphasize college and raised the cost-saving option of living academic rigor,” Sipe said, noting at home while attending college, the school’s decision to pay for which may drive some of the dual credits for students. “These discrepancy between rural and HIIRUWV KDYH GH¿QLWHO\ SDLG RII urban post-secondary enrollment. and we’ve seen a large increase “Access is important,” Martin in the numbers of kids pursuing said. college educations after high She said it’s also important school.” for rural educators to emphasize She also credited partnerships post-secondary education. with area colleges and a “dream ³,WKLQNHGXFDWLRQLVGH¿QLWHO\ team” of counselors shepherding moving toward saying you have students through the college to get more than a high school application process. diploma and that’s something Kristine Martin, school coun- ZH¶UHGH¿QLWHO\WHOOLQJRXUNLGV´ selor at McLoughlin High School she said. in Milton-Freewater, said she also As for Umatilla County’s two has seen an increase in students largest districts, Pendleton School graduating from high school with 'LVWULFW UHSRUWHG D SHUFHQW college enrollment already in enrollment rate in post-secondary SODFH 6KH VDLG DERXW SHUFHQW education in 2013. Hermiston of this year’s graduating class has UHSRUWHGODVW\HDUWKDWSHUFHQW been accepted to a college. of the Class of 2013 enrolled in Martin said convincing college directly after high school, students in Milton-Freewater that DQG SHUFHQW RI WKH &ODVV RI college is within their reach has KDG JRWWHQ DW OHDVW VRPH always been easier than in some college education post-high rural school districts because of school by 2014. the town’s proximity to schools Ashley Pierson, lead author of in Walla Walla and Pendleton. the study, said in a news release Continued from 1A that in-depth studies of college enrollment will be an important tool as Oregon works toward D JRDO RI KDYLQJ SHUFHQW RI adults graduate with some sort of post-secondary degree by 2025. ³7KLV ¿UVW ORRN DW SRVWVHF- ondary enrollment of rural students in Oregon can provide important information for rural K-12 educators and state poli- cymakers looking to improve college access and readiness efforts,” Pierson said. “For higher education leaders, they should dig further into their data to see if additional supports should be provided to rural students, as they often face different barriers to college success compared to nonrural students.” The one demographic for which the urban advantage was reversed was Hispanic students ² UXUDO +LVSDQLF VWXGHQWV DUH percent more likely to enroll in post-secondary education than nonrural Hispanic students. ——— Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4536. MARIJUANA: Medford has been sued four times for its policies Continued from 1A Councilman Neil Brown said he thought some residents and businesses were already abusing marijuana rules before local or state laws could go into effect. “What happens when its legal?” he said. “Where does it go from here? I can guarantee you it isn’t going to go in the right direction.” Other members of the city council were confused by the about face. Councilman Al Plute said mari- juana was already being bought and consumed through the black market and any steps to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries would invite lawsuits. “I think we’re just whistling in the wind against state law,” he said. City Attorney Nancy Kerns said it was an “open question” about whether Pendleton could ban dispensaries, but noted the city of Medford has been sued four times for its anti-marijuana policies. Councilwoman Jane Hill ZRQGHUHGZK\FLW\RI¿FLDOVVSHQW months creating and passing zoning laws for dispensaries if some councilors didn’t want to approve a companion business license. Brown said the zoning laws could be used as a precautionary measure if the state forced the city to allow dispensaries in the future. In the meantime, the city could lean on its current business license rules, which prohibit any businesses from violating federal law. With councilors John Brenne, Young, Marks and Brown all openly opposing the passage of a marijuana business license, Mayor Phillip Houk said a new business license ordinance probably wouldn’t have the votes needed for approval. No decision was made. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836.